All language subtitles for Apollos Moon Shot Series 1 1of6 Rocket Fever 1080p

♪

Man: THE EAGLE HAS WINGS.

Man: ROGER.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Man: THE LANDING OF APOLLO 11

WAS SUCH A CLIFFHANGER

THAT IT WAS ALMOST
AS IF YOU TOOK

ALL THE TENSION OF EIGHT YEARS
OF TRYING TO GET TO THE MOON

AND JUST DISTILLED IT DOWN
TO THIS ONE MOMENT.

Man: WE’RE STANDING BY
FOR EAGLE.

Man: EAGLE, HOW DO YOU READ?

Man: BYE-BYE, EAGLE.

WE’RE STANDING BY
FOR YOUR BURN REPORT, OVER.

Man: IT’S A DECADE WORTH
OF BLOOD AND TREASURE

INVESTED IN THIS.

Man: WE’RE STILL GO.
ALTITUDE 27,000 FEET.

Man: SAME ALARM,
AND IT APPEARS TO COME UP

WHEN WE HAVE A 1668 UP.

Man: NOBODY WANTS TO BE
THE ONE WHO SAYS,

"SORRY, I HAVE TO ABORT."

BUT YOU ALSO DON’T WANT TO BE
THE ONE WHO CRASHES ON THE MOON.

Man: 2,000 FEET. 2,000 FEET...

Woman: ALL OF THE WORK
OF 400,000 PEOPLE

REALLY CAME DOWN
TO THAT LAST MINUTE.

Man: 60 SECONDS.

LIGHTS ON.

30 FEET, 2 1/2 DOWN.

Man: THEY ONLY HAVE ENOUGH FUEL
FOR ONE SHOT AT THIS,

WHICH HAS BEEN
EIGHT YEARS IN THE MAKING,

IS THE RESULT
OF A PRESIDENTIAL CHALLENGE

TO DO SOMETHING THAT SEEMS
ALMOST LIKE SCIENCE FICTION.

AND IT’S ALL
HANGING IN THE BALANCE.

Man: 30 SECONDS...

♪

Narrator:
THEY HAD THE RIGHT STUFF.

BUT THE SMITHSONIAN
HAS THE REAL STUFF.

WITH INSIDER ACCESS...

GET BEHIND THE GALLERIES...

AND INTO THE VAULTS...

TO SEE HOW
ONE MAN’S CHALLENGE...

President Kennedy:
OF LANDING A MAN ON THE MOON...

Narrator:
SPARKED A CHASE INTO SPACE.

WITH RARE ARCHIVAL INTERVIEWS
WITH THE ASTRONAUTS...

Man: I THINK IT’S PROBABLY
NASA’S FINEST HOUR.

Narrator: FILM THAT
STILL DAZZLES DECADES LATER...

Astronaut: YOU CAN SEE
THE SOLAR WIND THERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S BLOWING.

Narrator: AND STORIES DRAWN
FROM THE ARTIFACTS THEMSELVES.

Woman:
THIS IS A REAL LUNAR MODULE.

Narrator: RELIVE ONE OF THE MOST
RIVETING MOMENTS IN HISTORY,

WHEN ANOTHER WORLD BECKONED,

AND WE TOOK THE BAIT.

♪

[BEEPING]

Narrator:
THIS IS THE SOUND OF SPUTNIK.

THE FIRST SOVIET SATELLITE
ARCS OVER AMERICA

ON A SLEEPY FRIDAY NIGHT
IN 1957.

[BEEPING]

Teasel Muir-Harmony:
EISENHOWER HAD ALREADY

LEFT WASHINGTON TO GO GOLFING,

HE WENT AWAY FOR THE WEEKEND.

AND A LOT OF AMERICANS
WERE JUST HOME.

"LEAVE IT TO BEAVER"
PREMIERED THAT NIGHT,

AND SO IT CAME
AS QUITE A BIT OF A SHOCK.

Narrator:
EACH BEEP IS LIKE A TAUNT.

AMERICANS CAN HEAR IT
WITH THEIR HAM RADIOS--

A CLEAR SIGNAL THAT THE SOVIETS
HAVE BEATEN AMERICA INTO SPACE.

[BEEPING]

Bill Barry: SPUTNIK KIND OF
CAUGHT PEOPLE BY SURPRISE.

THE SOVIET UNION
WAS CONSIDERED TO BE

A TECHNOLOGICALLY
BACKWARD COUNTRY,

GENERALLY SPEAKING AT THE TIME.

ON TOP OF THAT, THEY’D BEEN
DEVASTATED BY WORLD WAR II.

♪

Narrator:
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD,

AMERICA APPEARS TO BE THRIVING.

IT’S 1957.

THE POST-WAR BOOM
IS IN FULL BLOOM.

Muir-Harmony: AND SO THERE WAS
AN EXPECTATION AMONG MANY PEOPLE

THAT THE U.S. WOULD BE FIRST
IN SPACE EXPLORATION.

Narrator:
BUT A FOREIGN SATELLITE

IS NOW CIRCLING THE GLOBE,

BRAGGING
WITH ITS INCESSANT BEEP.

[BEEPING]

IT MAY AS WELL BE
THE SOUND OF A STARTING GUN.

[BEEPING]

THE SPACE RACE IS ON.

Margaret Weitekamp:
THE REAL SHOCK OF SPUTNIK

IS NOT NECESSARILY
THE BEEP BEEP BEEP

OF THE VERY FIRST SATELLITE,

BUT THE ONE-TWO PUNCH
OF SPUTNIK 1 AND SPUTNIK 2

LAUNCHED WITHIN
A MONTH OF EACH OTHER.

Narrator: THIS TIME,

THE SOVIETS LAUNCH MORE
THAN A BEEPING BALL.

[ROARING]

SPUTNIK 2 CARRIES
A DOG NAMED LAIKA.

SOVIET UNION TWO,

AMERICA NOTHING.

♪

A MONTH LATER,

AMERICANS HAVE
THEIR FIRST SATELLITE

ON THE LAUNCH PAD.

THE VANGUARD TV-3.

THEY PLACE IT ON TOP OF A ROCKET
BUILT ON A BUDGET.

COMPONENTS INCLUDE

SPRINGS PLUCKED FROM
COMMON HOUSEHOLD MOUSETRAPS.

SOME ARE SKEPTICAL
OF THE EFFORT.

ONE ENGINEER REMEMBERS
SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY

DISMISSING ROCKETS
AS A WASTE OF MONEY.

ON THE MORNING OF THE LAUNCH,

ROCKET FEVER DESCENDS
UPON CAPE CANAVERAL.

LOCAL SHOPS
SELL OUT OF BINOCULARS.

IT’S A NERVE-RACKING COUNTDOWN.

Man: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

LIFTOFF.

[ENGINE ROARING]

[EXPLOSIONS]

Narrator: SOMEONE
IN THE CONTROL ROOM SCREAMS.

ANOTHER YELLS, "DUCK!"

THE SATELLITE ITSELF
IS THROWN FROM THE BLAST...

AND ENDS UP HERE,

AT SMITHSONIAN’S
NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM.

David DeVorkin: THE SATELLITE
WAS THROWN OUT OF THE ROCKET

AND ROLLED,

AND ALSO CRACKED OPEN.

THE ANTENNAE
WERE ALL BENT AND EVERYTHING,

BUT THE INTERIOR TRANSMITTER
WAS STILL OPERATING.

AND IT WAS BEEPING,
TELLING PEOPLE IT WAS ALIVE.

THE DAMAGE INDICATES,
CLEARLY IN THE EXPLOSION,

IT WAS HEATED UP QUITE A BIT

BY THE FLAMES
OF THE BURSTING ROCKET.

THERE WAS ALSO AN IMPACT DAMAGE,

BECAUSE THIS PART
WAS SPLIT OPEN.

THIS IS THE WAY THEY FOUND IT.

THE TV SERIES
WAS A SMALL VEHICLE

THAT WOULD BE
VERY EASY TO LAUNCH.

IT WAS A TEST TO SEE
THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD WORK,

THAT IT COULD TRANSMIT
INFORMATION BACK TO THE GROUND.

ONCE SPUTNIK FLEW,

IT CREATED CONSIDERABLE PRESSURE
TO ANSWER THE LAUNCH.

THE FACT WAS THAT
WE HAD TO MAKE IT WORK,

AND IT DIDN’T.

♪

Narrator:
THE PUBLIC SEES A FAILURE.

SCIENTISTS SEE A LEARNING CURVE.

Man: 45 SECONDS,
RUDDER DRIVE ON...

Narrator:
LESS THAN TWO MONTHS LATER,

AMERICA TRIES AGAIN
WITH THE EXPLORER 1 SATELLITE.

Man: I THINK
WE’RE ALL CLEAR HERE, BOB.

Narrator: IT’S NOW AT THE MERCY
OF SOME 50,000 POUNDS OF FUEL

THAT’S SUPPOSED TO EXPLODE
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

AND LIFT IT SKYWARD.

Man: 4, 3, 2, 1...

[ENGINES ROAR]

Narrator:
AMERICA’S FIRST SATELLITE

IS IN THE AIR.

Man: LOOKIN’ GOOD HERE.

Narrator: THE CONTROL ROOM WAITS
FOR ORBITAL CONFIRMATION.

Man: GOING REAL GOOD.

STILL LOOKS FINE HERE.

Narrator: SOMEONE FINALLY
BRINGS IN A NOTE--

"GOLDSTONE HAS THE BIRD."

BUT THE GOLDSTONE
TRACKING STATION IN CALIFORNIA

ISN’T THE ONLY ONE WATCHING.

Steve Maran: THE WHOLE IDEA

THAT THERE WERE SATELLITES
ROTATING AROUND THE EARTH

CAME RIGHT OUT OF
SCIENCE FICTION.

I WAS AN 18-YEAR-OLD
COLLEGE STUDENT IN BROOKLYN,

STUDYING PHYSICS,

AND I WAS AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER.

SOMEHOW OR OTHER
WE GOT PERMISSION

TO GO UP ON THE ROOF
OF THE RCA BUILDING

SO WE COULD GET A GOOD VIEW
FROM NEW YORK CITY

OF THE SATELLITES
AS THEY CAME OVER THE EARTH.

Narrator: STEVE AND OTHERS
AROUND THE WORLD

USED THIS TELESCOPE TO WATCH
HISTORY ZOOM OVERHEAD.

Steve: WE WERE PARTICIPATING

IN THE SMITHSONIAN’S
OPERATION MOONWATCH,

A WORLDWIDE EFFORT
ORGANIZED BY THE SMITHSONIAN

TO PREPARE TO TRACK THE FIRST
SATELLITES OF THE EARTH.

WE HAD A NUMBER OF THESE
PLACED ALONG A TABLE

SO THAT THEIR FIELDS OF VIEW
CREATED KIND OF A PICKET FENCE

ACROSS THE SKY.

WE KNEW
THE SATELLITE WAS COMING,

WE DIDN’T KNOW
EXACTLY WHERE OR EXACTLY WHEN,

BUT AT LEAST
ONE OF THE TELESCOPES

WOULD CATCH IT WHEN IT WENT BY.

♪

Narrator:
STEVE’S OWN HOME MOVIES

SHOW THE THRILL OF BEING
AT THE TOP OF THE CITY SKYLINE

AND TRYING TO LOOK EVEN HIGHER.

Steve: THIS WAS ALL STUFF
OUT OF SCIENCE FICTION.

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
IT WAS HAPPENING,

AND WE WERE ON THE CUTTING EDGE
OF SEEING WHAT WAS GOING ON.

SO THAT WAS EXCITING ENOUGH
TO KEEP YOU UP ALL NIGHT.

♪

Narrator:
AMERICA AND THE SOVIET UNION

DREAM OF LAUNCHING
MUCH MORE THAN SATELLITES.

Man: ROGER THAT.

Narrator:
THEY DREAM OF LAUNCHING HUMANS

TO THE NEXT
STEPPING STONE IN SPACE--

NEARLY 240,000 MILES AWAY.

BUT RIGHT NOW,

A MOON SHOT
IS JUST PIE IN THE SKY.

IN 1958,

NASA POSTS A NEW POSITION,

OPEN ONLY TO
MILITARY TEST PILOTS.

JOB TITLE--ASTRONAUT.

PROJECT--MERCURY.

AMERICA’S FIRST HUMAN
SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAM.

AT FIRST, IT’S A SECRET PROJECT
ON SHAKY GROUND.

John Glenn: WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW
FAR THE PROGRAM WAS GOING TO GO.

FOR A WHILE WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW
IF IT WAS GOING TO GO.

[JETS ROAR]

Narrator: JOB APPLICANTS
RECALL THE EXPERIENCE

IN RECORDINGS UNEARTHED
FROM THE NASA VAULT.

Wally Schirra: THESE THREE MEN
TRIED TO CONVINCE ME

HOW NEAT IT WOULD BE TO GET IN
A CAPSULE ON TOP OF A ROCKET.

I SAID, "NO WAY!

I’M AN AVIATOR,
I’M A HOTSHOT FLYBOY,

I’M A TEST PILOT."

[JETS ROAR]

Gordon Cooper: I WAS ORDERED
TO REPORT TO WASHINGTON.

NO EXPLANATION OR ANYTHING.

I DIDN’T EVEN KNOW WE WERE GOING
TO HAVE A SPACE PROGRAM.

Narrator: AFTER HUNDREDS APPLY,

SEVEN MAKE THE CUT.

GUS GRISSOM.

SCOTT CARPENTER.

DEKE SLAYTON.

WALLY SCHIRRA.

GORDON COOPER.

ALAN SHEPARD.

AND JOHN GLENN.

ON APRIL 9, 1959,

NASA INTRODUCES
ITS FIRST CLASS OF ASTRONAUTS.

THE MEDIA IS READY.

THE MEN ARE NOT.

Schirra:
THIS WAS A BIG SURPRISE.

SEVEN OF US SITTING ON A STAGE
IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,

WITH A BUNCH OF PRESS CORPS.

THEY WERE THERE,
INTERROGATING US.

Glenn: JOKINGLY, OF COURSE,
SAID THAT I GOT ON THIS PROJECT

BECAUSE IT WOULD PROBABLY BE

THE NEAREST TO HEAVEN
I’D EVER GET,

AND I WANTED TO MAKE
THE MOST OF IT.

Weitekamp: JOHN GLENN REALLY
SHONE AT THAT PRESS CONFERENCE.

HE WAS VERY ADEPT
AT PUBLIC SPEAKING

AND HAD NATURAL CHARISMA
THAT CAME ACROSS VERY MUCH.

Glenn: I ALSO AGREE
WHOLEHEARTEDLY WITH GUS HERE.

I THINK WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE
THAT WE HAVE, SHOULD WE SAY,

BEEN BLESSED WITH THE TALENTS

THAT HAVE BEEN PICKED
FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

Narrator: THEY QUICKLY
BECOME COVER STORIES.

Andrew Chaikin:
THEY HADN’T EVEN FLOWN IN SPACE,

AND THEY WERE ALREADY
HOUSEHOLD NAMES

AND THEY WERE CELEBRITIES.

Narrator:
BUT THEY’RE ALSO COMPETITORS.

Alan Shepard: PROJECT MERCURY
IS JUST ONE PART.

THERE WERE SEVEN GUYS
COMPETING FOR THE FIRST JOB,

WHATEVER THAT TURNED OUT TO BE.

Narrator:
THE FIRST JOB, THEY ASSUME,

IS TO BE THE FIRST HUMAN
IN SPACE.

ALL SEVEN BEGIN A CRASH COURSE
IN SPACE TRAVEL.

Glenn: ONCE WE WERE SELECTED,

IT WAS SORT OF OPEN-ENDED

AS TO WHAT KIND OF THINGS PEOPLE
COULD THINK UP FOR US TO DO

THAT MIGHT HAVE SOME WEIRD
REMOTE APPLICATION

TO SPACE FLIGHT.

Narrator: WALLY SCHIRRA
ENDURES A HEAT CHAMBER.

GUS GRISSOM
TRIES TO FLY BLINDFOLDED.

AND JOHN GLENN BECOMES
A HUMAN TEST DUMMY FOR G-FORCES.

ASTRONAUTS CALL THIS CENTRIFUGE
"THE BEAST."

Glenn: YOU’RE STRAINING JUST AS
HARD AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN STRAIN

TO KEEP ENOUGH BLOOD
UP IN YOUR HEAD

TO KEEP FROM BLACKING OUT.

Narrator: THEY SPIN SO VIOLENTLY

THAT THEIR HEARTS
BANG INTO THEIR LUNGS,

KNOCKING THE WIND OUT OF THEM.

THEY TEST FOR EVERY CONDITION

THEY CAN IMAGINE
IN SPACE FLIGHT.

BUT WHAT ABOUT WEIGHTLESSNESS?

THE AIR FORCE DEVISES A WAY
TO SIMULATE ZERO GRAVITY.

THE MERCURY SEVEN ARE
AGAIN THE GUINEA PIGS.

A C-131 TRANSPORT
ASCENDS TO 40,000 FEET.

INSIDE ARE THE FUTURE ASTRONAUTS

AND ONE NERVOUS REPORTER
WITH A TAPE RECORDER.

Art Freeman: MY HAND IS SHAKING.

I DON’T KNOW IF MY VOICE
SOUNDS FUNNY OR NOT.

Narrator: THEN THE PLANE TOPS
OUT LIKE A ROLLERCOASTER...

AND THE MEN BEGIN TO FLOAT.

Freeman: WE ARE NOW WEIGHTLESS.

WE ARE NOW WEIGHTLESS.

GOOD LORD!

WHAT AN INTERESTING
FEELING THIS IS.

♪

Narrator: DOCTORS HAVE NO IDEA

IF HUMANS CAN SURVIVE LONG
IN WEIGHTLESSNESS.

WILL THEIR ORGANS FUNCTION?

WILL FOOD STAY DOWN IF THERE’S
NO UP OR DOWN ANYMORE?

THEY CALL THIS THE VOMIT COMET,

AND IT’S THE ONLY WAY
TO TEST THE POSSIBILITIES

AND PROBLEMS OF ZERO GRAVITY.

♪

THE AIR FORCE
EVEN TRIES IT ON ANIMALS.

THEY APPEAR
FAR LESS ENTHUSIASTIC.

DOCTORS ALSO WORRY

ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS
OF SPACE TRAVEL

ON THE MERCURY SEVEN.

THEY PRESENT MEMORY PUZZLES
FOR TESTING...

RANDOM DRAWINGS FOR ANALYSIS...

INK BLOTS FOR INTERPRETATION.

Muir-Harmony:
THEY WERE ALSO TESTED

FOR THEIR ABILITY
TO WORK WITH OTHERS.

THEY WERE ASKED QUESTIONS
LIKE "WHO AM I?"

AND THEN ASKED TO EXPLAIN
WHO THEY WERE.

Narrator:
WHAT THEY ARE IS FEARLESS.

NASA PSYCHIATRISTS
ARE ASTOUNDED BY BRAVERY

THAT BORDERS ON RECKLESSNESS.

THEIR WORST FEAR ISN’T DYING.

IT’S NOT BEING ALLOWED TO FLY.

THEY’VE TESTED THE MEN.

NOW THEY TEST THE MACHINES.

Shepard: WE HAD ESSENTIALLY
A NEW PRODUCT.

IT DIDN’T LOOK
VERY MUCH LIKE AN AIRPLANE,

BUT IF YOU WERE GOING TO
PUT A PILOT IN,

IT WAS GOING TO HAVE TO FLY
SOMEHOW LIKE AN AIRPLANE.

Narrator: AS THE ASTRONAUTS
CHECK OUT THE SPACE CAPSULE,

THEY REALIZE
THE INITIAL MERCURY MISSIONS

WON’T BE MUCH LIKE
FLYING A PLANE.

MORE LIKE RIDING A BULLET.

A ROCKET WILL LAUNCH THE CAPSULE

WITH ENOUGH SPEED
TO CLEAR THE ATMOSPHERE--

MORE THAN 5,000 MILES PER HOUR.

AFTER MERE MINUTES,

THE CAPSULE’S RETRO ROCKETS
WILL SLOW IT DOWN FOR RE-ENTRY--

A FIERY FREE-FALL
INTO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN,

SLOWED ONLY BY PARACHUTES

NEAR THE VERY END.

NASA DROPS EMPTY CAPSULES
TO TEST THOSE PARACHUTES.

A THIN NYLON BARRIER
BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.

NORMALLY,

A PARACHUTE IS A TEST PILOT’S
LAST CHANCE TO LIVE

AFTER EJECTING FROM AN AIRCRAFT.

NOW THE PARACHUTE IS PLAN A.

THERE IS NO PLAN B.

AS THE OLD JOKE GOES,

IT’S NOT THE FALL
THAT’LL KILL YOU;

IT’S THE LANDING.

Barry: IT’S VERY CLEAR WHAT
THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE ARE

TO THE ASTRONAUTS
AND TO EVERYBODY.

Narrator:
SO THEY TEST THE PARACHUTES

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

NO ONE HAS SAID IT QUITE YET,

BUT FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.

♪

THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM
IS COMING TO THE AFRICAN BUSH.

Weitekamp:
CREATING THE MERCURY PROGRAM

MEANT CREATING NOT ONLY
THE LAUNCH VEHICLES

AND THE CAPSULES

AND THE CREW
THAT COULD GO IN THEM,

BUT ALSO CREATING
ALL OF THE GROUND SUPPORT

OF A WHOLE NETWORK
OF LISTENING STATIONS

AND COMMUNICATION STATIONS
AROUND THE WORLD.

Narrator: NASA SENDS
NEW EMPLOYEES FAR AFIELD

TO BUILD THIS NEW NETWORK.

ONE OF THEM IS ARNOLD ALDRICH.

Arnold Aldrich:
I DIDN’T KNOW TOO MUCH

ABOUT THE SPACE PROGRAM.

NASA WAS ONLY LIKE
NINE MONTHS OLD.

Narrator: THEY ARRIVE IN PLACES

LIKE NIGERIA,
MOROCCO, AND KENYA,

FULLY EQUIPPED
WITH POCKET PROTECTORS,

READY TO CONQUER SPACE.

Aldrich: WE HAD QUITE A FEW
JUST FRESH COLLEGE GRADUATES

WHO WERE READY
TO TACKLE ANYTHING,

BUT DIDN’T HAVE
A LOT OF EXPERIENCE,

AND ALSO DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING
ABOUT WHAT COULDN’T BE DONE.

Narrator:
THEY JOIN MILITARY PERSONNEL

TO BE THE EYES AND EARS
OF MERCURY

WHEN IT TRIES TO STRETCH FLIGHTS
BEYOND THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.

THEY WILL TRACK FLIGHTS
AS THEY COME OVER AFRICA,

COMMUNICATE WITH THE SPACECRAFT,

AND SEND DATA BACK
TO MISSION CONTROL.

SOME STATIONS
MORE QUICKLY THAN OTHERS.

Aldrich: ONLY HALF OF THEM

HAD VOICE COMMUNICATION
WITH THE CONTROL CENTER.

YOU COULDN’T TALK TO THE CAPE.

THEY ONLY COMMUNICATED
VIA TELETYPE.

SO YOU WOULD WRITE OUT
WHAT YOU WANTED TO SAY

ON A PIECE OF PAPER,

YOU WOULD HAND IT
TO A TELETYPE OPERATOR.

HE’D RUN OVER
TO THE TELETYPE MACHINE

AND TYPE IT IN.

AND THEN IT WOULD TAKE
SOME PERIOD OF TIME,

AND IT WOULD TYPE OUT
AT THE CAPE,

AND THEY’D READ IT.

[TAPPING]

♪

Narrator:
WORLDWIDE COMMUNICATION

IS IN ITS INFANCY.

BUT TRAVEL BUGS
HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER.

Aldrich:
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT

PIECES OF EQUIPMENT WE HAD

WAS THE BOTTLE OF KAOPECTATE,

AND IT WOULD SIT UP
ON TOP OF THE CONSOLE.

Narrator: ALDRICH’S OWN FATHER

WONDERS WHAT IN THE WORLD
HIS SON IS DOING

SO FAR FROM HOME.

Aldrich:
MY DAD ASKED ME, YOU KNOW,

WHEN I WAS GOING TO ACTUALLY
GET SOME REAL JOB TO WORK ON.

I MEAN, THIS IS NICE TO WORK
ON THESE ESOTERIC THINGS,

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN ARE YOU
GONNA GO START

AND ACTUALLY WORK ON SOMETHING?

Narrator:
THAT "ESOTERIC SOMETHING"

IS ABOUT TO GET MUCH MORE REAL.

A MERCURY CAPSULE ARRIVES
IN FLORIDA TO MEET ITS FATE--

A RIDE ATOP
THIS REDSTONE ROCKET.

THE EMPTY CAPSULE
WILL LAUNCH INTO SPACE

AND SEND BACK PERFORMANCE DATA.

THEY HAVE TO MAKE SURE IT WORKS
BEFORE PUTTING A PERSON INSIDE.

THE SCIENCE OF ROCKETRY
MEETS THE ART OF CAPSULE DESIGN

IN THIS CRITICAL TEST FLIGHT.

MERCURY 1, NOVEMBER 1960.

Man: 3, 2, 1, 0...

IGNITION.

Narrator:
THE ROCKET GETS NO HIGHER

THAN FOUR INCHES.

Barry: IT WAS A PRETTY
EMBARRASSING EVENT OVERALL.

WE’RE READY TO LAUNCH
OUR FIRST REDSTONE

ON A SUBORBITAL FLIGHT
TO TEST THE MERCURY CAPSULE,

AND IT DOESN’T GO ANYWHERE
BUT A COUPLE OF INCHES.

Narrator: BOOSTERS LIGHT UP...

THEN INEXPLICABLY SHUT DOWN.

THE ESCAPE TOWER
SHOOTS OFF BY ITSELF.

THE CAPSULE’S PARACHUTES
POP OPEN

AND DRAPE ALONGSIDE THE ROCKET.

THE NATION APPEARS TO BE
STUMBLING INTO SPACE.

THE NEW PRESIDENT,
JOHN F. KENNEDY,

DOESN’T LIKE THE OPTICS.

Muir-Harmony:
THE FAILURE OF MERCURY 1

WAS SEEN AS ANOTHER BLOW
TO U.S. PRESTIGE

IN THAT THE U.S.
KEPT ON TRAILING BEHIND

THE SOVIET UNION
IN SPACE EXPLORATION

AND WAS HAVING A VERY
DIFFICULT TIME CATCHING UP.

♪

Narrator:
THREE YEARS INTO THEIR NEW JOBS,

THE FORMER TEST PILOTS
ARE GETTING A LITTLE...TESTY.

SO FAR IT’S BEEN ALL DRILLS

AND NO THRILLS.

WAITING AROUND
IS NOT THEIR STRONG SUIT.

SOME WONDER
IF JOINING THE SPACE PROGRAM

WAS A BAD CAREER MOVE.

Shepard: IT WAS REALLY
TOUCH-AND-GO THERE.

BUT WE WERE STILL
HIGHLY COMPETITIVE.

THERE WERE STILL
SEVEN GUYS GOING

FOR WHATEVER FLIGHT
WAS AVAILABLE.

Narrator:
BUT WILL THERE EVEN BE A FLIGHT?

JOHN GLENN GETS FITTED
FOR HIS CUSTOM CAPSULE SEAT,

WITH NO GUARANTEE
HE’LL EVER GET LAUNCHED IN IT.

Glenn: REMEMBER THAT IN
THE EARLY DAYS OF THE PROGRAM,

IT WAS ALL PRETTY MUCH
UP IN THE AIR.

Narrator: ACTUALLY,
NOTHING IS IN THE AIR...

YET.

BEFORE ANY OF THEM
GO INTO SPACE,

THIS CHIMPANZEE
WILL PAVE THE WAY.

HIS NAME IS HAM.

HE HAS A DIFFERENT
TRAINING REGIMEN

THAN HUMAN ASTRONAUTS,

INCLUDING SHOCKS TO HIS FEET

IF HIS ATTENTION STRAYS
FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL.

BUT HIS JOB IS PARAMOUNT--

PROVE THAT A PRIMATE
CAN FUNCTION IN SPACE.

Weitekamp: SO THIS WAS
HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO,

WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE
CALLED AT THE TIME,

MAN-RATE THE VEHICLE.

Man: ALL THREE
START PANEL LIGHTS ARE CORRECT.

MERCURY GO...

T MINUS 18 AND COUNTING.

Narrator: SINCE
THE EMBARRASSMENT OF MERCURY 1,

THEY THINK
THEY FIXED THE ROCKET.

Man: MINUS 10, 9, 8...

Narrator: BUT WILL THE CAPSULE
KEEP HAM ALIVE?

♪

Man: ZERO PLUS ONE SECOND.
LIFTOFF.

Man: LIFTOFF.
Man: LIFTOFF...

Narrator: MERCURY 2 PUNCHES
THROUGH THE FLORIDA SKY...

WITH THE HOPES OF THE PROGRAM
RIDING ON A 3-YEAR-OLD CHIMP.

THE CAPSULE LOSES PRESSURE,

BUT HAM’S SPACESUIT
KEEPS HIM ALIVE.

HE PULLS LEVERS
AND PUSHES BUTTONS AS TRAINED.

THEY KNOW HE’S CONSCIOUS.

BUT DON’T KNOW
IF HE’LL ENDURE RE-ENTRY.

Man: WE’RE RECEIVING DATA AGAIN.

Man: LET US KNOW
WHEN YOU REGAIN THE SIGNAL.

Narrator:
SHIPS FIND HAM’S CAPSULE

IN THE WIDE-OPEN ATLANTIC.

THEY WHISK IT ABOARD

AND OPEN THE HATCH
TO SEE IF HAM SURVIVED.

Muir-Harmony:
HE WAS A LITTLE DEHYDRATED,

HE WAS A LITTLE FATIGUED,

BUT THEY GAVE HIM AN APPLE,
AND HE LIKED THAT.

Narrator: HE HAS NOTHING MORE
THAN A BRUISED NOSE.

EVERYONE HOPES
THE FIRST HUMAN IN SPACE

WILL BE SO LUCKY.

BUT WHO WILL IT BE?

ALL SEVEN TRAINEES HAVE BEEN
WAITING FOR DIRECTOR BOB GILRUTH

TO ANNOUNCE AMERICA’S
FIRST SPACE TRAVELER.

NASA FINALLY PICKS ALAN SHEPARD.

Shepard: WELL, THERE I AM,

LOOKING AT SIX FACES
LOOKING AT ME

AND FEELING TOTALLY ELATED

THAT I HAD WON THE COMPETITION.

BUT YET ALMOST
IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS

FEELING SORRY FOR MY BUDDIES.

I MEAN, THEY WERE TRYING
JUST AS HARD AS I WAS.

Narrator: SHEPARD TRAINS
WITH RENEWED VIGOR...

Man: ONE, START.

Narrator: EXPECTING TO BECOME
THE FIRST HUMAN INTO SPACE.

Man: STAND BY FOR RE-ENTRY.

Narrator: BUT NASA
DELAYS HIS FLIGHT A MONTH

TO WORK OUT SOME KINKS
IN THE REDSTONE ROCKET.

DURING THAT DELAY, THE SOVIETS
MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT.

Muir-Harmony:
THERE WAS ANOTHER WAVE OF SHOCK,

ANOTHER BLOW TO U.S. PRESTIGE

THAT NOT ONLY
DID THE SOVIET UNION

LAUNCH THE FIRST SATELLITE,

THEY ALSO LAUNCHED
THE FIRST HUMAN INTO SPACE.

Narrator: ON APRIL 12, 1961,

THE SOVIET UNION LAUNCHES A MAN
AROUND THE GLOBE...

AND INTO THE HISTORY BOOKS.

HIS NAME--YURI GAGARIN.

Weitekamp:
HE DID AN ORBITAL FLIGHT,

WHICH IS AN ORDER OF MAGNITUDE
MORE DIFFICULT

THAN A SUBORBITAL
UP-AND-DOWN FLIGHT INTO SPACE.

Narrator: COMPARED TO
THE MERCURY ASTRONAUTS,

GAGARIN IS BARELY A PILOT.

HE ONLY RECENTLY FINISHED
FLIGHT SCHOOL.

BUT HE’S ONLY 5-FOOT-2,

FITS INTO THE TINY CAPSULE,

AND FITS THE MOLD
FOR A SOVIET SUCCESS STORY.

Barry: HE’S THE SON OF PEASANTS
THAT SURVIVED WORLD WAR II,

HE’S KIND OF THE PERFECT
SOVIET MODEL FOR THAT.

AND HE’S A CHARMING,
GOOD-LOOKING GUY.

GAGARIN WAS THE PERFECT PERSON.

Narrator: THE SOVIETS ARE
STEALING THE GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT.

Chaikin: FOR KENNEDY,

THE SHOCK OF WAKING UP TO FIND

THAT THE SOVIETS HAD PUT
THE FIRST MAN IN SPACE

WAS EMBARRASSMENT ENOUGH,

BUT THAT WAS COMPOUNDED
VERY SOON AFTERWARDS

BY WHAT BECAME KNOWN
AS THE BAY OF PIGS FIASCO.

Narrator: FOR MONTHS, KENNEDY
WAS CONSIDERING A SECRET PLAN

TO OUST FIDEL CASTRO FROM CUBA--

A COMMUNIST COUNTRY
RIGHT ON AMERICA’S DOORSTEP.

ON APRIL 17th,

U.S. NAVY SHIPS
ENTER CUBA’S BAY OF PIGS

AND UNLOAD A SMALL
FIGHTING FORCE OF CUBAN EXILES

TO TRIGGER AN OVERTHROW
OF CASTRO’S GOVERNMENT.

[GUNFIRE]

BUT THE INVASION FORCE
IS QUICKLY DEFEATED.

THE COUP IS A FLOP.

THE TIMING--

JUST FIVE DAYS
AFTER YURI GAGARIN’S FLIGHT--

IS COINCIDENTAL.

BUT IT LOOKS LIKE KENNEDY
IS ON A LOSING STREAK.

Chaikin: THIS WAS
A TREMENDOUS EMBARRASSMENT

TO THIS YOUNG PRESIDENT

WHO HAD ONLY BEEN IN OFFICE
FOR A FEW MONTHS.

Narrator:
PRESIDENT KENNEDY NEEDS A WIN.

HE LOOKS TO NASA TO DELIVER ONE.

♪

JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER,

NASA HOPES ONE MAN CAN SALVAGE
SOME NATIONAL PRIDE.

Shepard: THE WEATHER WAS GOOD,

AND I REMEMBER DRIVING DOWN
TO THE LAUNCHING PAD IN A VAN.

Narrator: ALAN SHEPARD REMEMBERS
EVERY MOMENT OF MERCURY 3.

Shephard: WE PULLED UP
IN FRONT OF THE LAUNCH PAD.

OF COURSE IT WAS DARK.

THE LIQUID OXYGEN WAS
VENTING OUT FROM THE REDSTONE.

SEARCHLIGHTS ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING TO MYSELF,

"WELL, I’M NOT GOING TO SEE
THIS REDSTONE AGAIN."

AND, YOU KNOW, PILOTS LOVE TO
GO OUT AND KICK THE TIRES.

AND IT WAS SORT OF LIKE

REACHING OUT AND KICKING
THE TIRES ON THE REDSTONE,

BECAUSE I STOPPED
AND LOOKED AT IT,

YOU KNOW, LOOKED BACK
AT THIS BEAUTIFUL ROCKET,

AND THOUGHT, "WELL, OK, BUSTER,
LET’S GO AND GET THE JOB DONE."

♪

Narrator: WHEN DAY BREAKS,

ASTRONAUTS WALLY SCHIRRA
AND SCOTT CARPENTER

CIRCLE IN FIGHTER JETS
TO WATCH THE LAUNCH.

Scott Carpenter: WE COULDN’T
STAY CLOSE TO THE PAD,

BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT
OF UNKNOWNS AND DANGERS

IN THOSE DAYS.

Man: ZERO, DID YOU VERIFY
YOU GOT A MOTOR LIGHT?

Narrator: THOSE DANGERS
AREN’T LOST ON SHEPARD.

Man: ROGER,
READY TO RESUME THE COUNT...

Narrator: AT THIS POINT,

NO ROCKET LAUNCH
IS A SURE THING.

Man: OK, STONY, TAKE IT OVER.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Man: ROGER.

Narrator:
THOUSANDS ARE AT THE CAPE.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Narrator:
45 MILLION ARE WATCHING ON TV.

AND TWO BUDDIES
ARE HOVERING NEARBY.

Carpenter: WALLY AND I
WERE CIRCLING THE PAD,

LISTENING TO THE COUNT.

Man: 10, 9, 8, 7, 6,

5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

[ROARING]

LIFTOFF.

Shepard: ROGER. LIFTOFF,
AND THE CLOCK HAS STARTED.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Shepard: YES, SIR,
READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.

Narrator: AT LIFTOFF,

SHEPARD’S HEART RATE
JUMPS TO 126 BEATS PER MINUTE.

Shepard: CABIN AT 14 PSI,

OXYGEN IS GO.

Narrator: AND THE ROCKET
SENDS HIM A HUNDRED MILES UP...

LEAVING SCHIRRA AND CARPENTER
IN THE DUST.

Carpenter: AND AL TOOK OFF
AND GOING STRAIGHT UP,

AND WALLY AND I
NEVER SAW A THING!

Narrator:
NO ONE WILL CATCH SHEPARD NOW.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Shepard: 7, YOUR FUEL IS GO,
4 G.

Man: THAT’S ALL SYSTEMS GO...
OK.

Narrator: AFTER PULLING SIX Gs
TO ESCAPE EARTH...

Shepard: CUTOFF!
TOWER JETTISON GREEN!

Narrator: HE MARVELS
AT WHAT HE LEFT BEHIND.

Shepard: WHAT A BEAUTIFUL VIEW.

CLOUD COVER OVER FLORIDA,

THREE TO FOUR TENTHS
NEAR THE EASTERN COAST,

OBSCURES UP THROUGH HATTERAS.

Narrator: HE’S ONLY WEIGHTLESS
FOR FIVE MINUTES,

BUT COMPLETES A TIGHTLY SCRIPTED
SERIES OF TESTS.

Shepard: SWITCHING
TO MANUAL YAW.

Narrator: HE’S ALL BUSINESS.

Shepard:
OK, SWITCHING TO MANUAL PITCH.

Narrator:
RE-ENTRY GOES WITHOUT A HITCH.

Shepard: MAIN CHUTE IS REEFED.

MAIN CHUTE IS GREEN.

MAIN CHUTE IS COMING UNREEFED
AND LOOKS GOOD.

Narrator: AMERICA FINALLY MAKES
A SPLASH IN THE SPACE RACE...

EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN’T MATCH
GAGARIN’S FULL ORBIT.

Weitekamp: BEING ABLE
TO ANSWER GAGARIN’S FLIGHT

WITH ALAN SHEPARD’S
SUBORBITAL FLIGHT

WAS SEEN AS A U.S. ANSWER,

BUT A SOMEWHAT
INSUFFICIENT ANSWER.

Narrator:
SHEPARD GRABS HIS HELMET,

SAYS GOODBYE TO HIS SHIP,

AND FINDS HIMSELF
AT THE WHITE HOUSE

JUST THREE DAYS LATER

TO RECEIVE A MEDAL.

President Kennedy:
TO ALAN SHEPARD.

WE’RE VERY PROUD OF HIM.

Shepard: AND SO AS THE PRESIDENT
MADE HIS SPEECH AND SAID,

"I NOW PRESENT YOU THE MEDAL,"

THE THING SLID OFF THE BOX
AND WENT TO THE DECK.

WE ALMOST BANGED HEADS.

THEN HE SAID,
IN HIS DAMN YANKEE ACCENT,

"HERE, SHEPARD,

I GIVE YOU THIS MEDAL
THAT COMES FROM THE GROUND UP."

[LAUGHTER]

Narrator:
IT’S ALL QUITE A SHOW.

BUT PRIVATELY,

KENNEDY’S NOT SUPPORTING MERCURY
FOR THE SCIENCE.

IT’S FOR THE STATUS.

Muir-Harmony: JOHN F. KENNEDY

WAS VERY ATTUNED
TO THE IMPORTANCE OF IMAGE,

TO PRESTIGE,

AND TO PUBLIC RELATIONS.

SO SPACE EXPLORATION WAS SORT
OF USED AS A MEASURING STICK

TO UNDERSTAND NATIONAL STRENGTH.

Narrator:
IF SPACE IS WHERE KENNEDY

CAN FINALLY SHOW UP THE SOVIETS,

HE’S ALL IN.

[APPLAUSE]

ON MAY 25th,

HE STRIDES TO
THE CONGRESSIONAL PODIUM

WITH AN AUDACIOUS CHALLENGE
TUCKED INSIDE HIS MANUSCRIPT.

Weitekamp:
JOHN F. KENNEDY’S ANNOUNCEMENT

BEFORE A JOINT SESSION
OF CONGRESS

COMES REALLY FAST.

YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT IT WAS
ONLY SIX WEEKS EARLIER

THAT YURI GAGARIN
BECOMES THE FIRST HUMAN BEING

TO FLY IN SPACE AT ALL.

Kennedy: I BELIEVE THAT THIS
NATION SHOULD COMMIT ITSELF

TO ACHIEVING THE GOAL,

BEFORE THIS DECADE IS OUT,

OF LANDING A MAN ON THE MOON

AND RETURNING HIM
SAFELY TO THE EARTH.

Muir-Harmony:
THE GENERAL TONE OF THE SPEECH

WAS SORT OF A CALL TO ACTION.

HE WAS TELLING
HIS FELLOW AMERICANS

THAT THEY HAD TO TAKE ON
GRAND CHALLENGES.

Narrator: THIS GRAND CHALLENGE

NOW FALLS ON AN AGENCY
THAT’S NOT YET THREE YEARS OLD.

ALAN SHEPARD’S
FIRST FLIGHT INTO SPACE

WAS ONLY THREE WEEKS AGO.

Weitekamp:
NASA HAD A GRAND TOTAL

OF ABOUT 15 MINUTES OF ACTUAL
HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.

ONE FLIGHT.

AND HE’S SAYING
WE’RE GONNA SEND MULTIPLE PEOPLE

A QUARTER OF A MILLION MILES
TO THE MOON AND BACK.

♪

Narrator: THE SPACE RACE
NOW HAS A FINISH LINE.

FOR NASA, THE GOAL IS CLEAR.

THE PATH IS NOT.

BUT PROJECT MERCURY
KEEPS PLUGGING AWAY.

Man: 5, 4, 3...

Narrator: ON JULY 21st,

GUS GRISSOM PILOTS MERCURY 4.

Man: LIFTOFF.

Gus Grissom: ROGER,
THIS IS LIBERTY BELL 7.

THE CLOCK IS OPERATING.

Narrator: THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
COMES UPON SPLASHDOWN.

Grissom: GETTING READY
FOR IMPACT HERE.

I CAN SEE THE WATER
COMING RIGHT ON UP.

Narrator: HIS HATCH BLOWS OPEN
WHILE WAITING FOR RESCUE.

Chaikin:
THE CAPSULE FLOODED WITH WATER,

GRISSOM SCRAMBLED TO GET OUT.

HE NARROWLY ESCAPED DROWNING.

THE HELICOPTER WAS ABLE TO PULL
HIM OUT OF THE OCEAN SAFELY,

BUT THE CAPSULE SANK

AND WENT TO THE BOTTOM
OF THE ATLANTIC.

AND GRISSOM
WAS KIND OF SHAKEN UP

BY THE TIME THEY GOT HIM
BACK ON DRY LAND.

Narrator: SO FAR,

TWO AMERICANS HAVE GONE
ON SHORT UP-AND-DOWN FLIGHTS.

THE THIRD IS SUPPOSED
TO CIRCLE THE GLOBE.

AND NO ONE IS MORE READY
THAN JOHN GLENN.

Man: 60 SECONDS AND COUNTING.

Narrator: THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
FOR MERCURY 6

CRACKLES IN HIS HEADSET.

Carpenter: ALL PRE-START
PANEL LIGHTS ARE CORRECT,

THE READY LIGHT IS ON,

EJECT MERCURY UMBILICAL.

Narrator:
SCOTT CARPENTER IS THE CAPCOM--

THE ONE MAN IN MISSION CONTROL

IN DIRECT COMMUNICATION
WITH GLENN.

Carpenter: IN THAT PERIOD

FROM T-MINUS 18 SECONDS
TO LIFTOFF...

7-MINUS 18 SECONDS AND COUNTING,
ENGINES START.

IT OCCURRED TO ME

THAT THIS FELLOW
NAMED JOHN GLENN

WAS GOING TO HAVE TO
PUT UNDER HIS BELT

MORE SPEED THAN WE HAD
EVER GIVEN A HUMAN BEFORE.

AND IT JUST CAME TO ME.

GODSPEED, JOHN GLENN.

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0...

Glenn: ROGER, THE CLOCK
IS OPERATING.

WE’RE UNDERWAY.

Narrator: HE’S ON HIS WAY TO
EXCEEDING 17,000 MILES PER HOUR,

PUSHING GLENN DEEP
INTO HIS CUSTOM-FIT SEAT.

Glenn: IT’S A LITTLE BUMPY
ALONG ABOUT HERE.

Narrator: 50,000
CRANE THEIR NECKS FROM THE CAPE.

100 MILLION MORE WATCH ON TV--

MORE THAN DOUBLE
THE LAST LAUNCH.

THEY WITNESS NEAR PERFECTION.

Glenn: ROGER, LOUD AND CLEAR,
FLIGHT PATH IS GOOD. 6-9.

Carpenter: ROGER,
READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR...

Narrator: GLENN’S TRAJECTORY

IS ONLY FIVE HUNDREDTHS
OF A DEGREE OFF.

Carpenter: LOOKS GOOD.
FLIGHT STEERING IS GOOD. ROGER.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL THINKS
HE’S GOOD FOR SEVEN ORBITS.

Glenn: I COULD NOT SEE
THE TOWER GO.

I SAW THE SMOKE
GO BY THE WINDOW.

Narrator:
GROUND COMPUTERS ESTIMATE

HE COULD DO A HUNDRED.

Glenn: ROGER.
STILL HAVE ABOUT 1.5 Gs.

PROGRAMMING OVER.

Narrator: SHEPARD AND GRISSOM
HAD MINUTES.

GLENN WILL HAVE HOURS.

Glenn: I AM GO.
CAPSULE IS IN GOOD SHAPE.

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF MY FLIGHT

WAS TO FIND OUT WHAT REACTION
THE HUMAN BODY HAD

TO EXTENDED WEIGHTLESSNESS.

SOME OF THE DOCTORS,
FOR INSTANCE,

THOUGHT THAT MY VISION
MIGHT CHANGE DURING FLIGHT.

Narrator: SO DOCTORS
TURN GLENN’S CAPSULE,

NOW AT THE SMITHSONIAN,

INTO A TINY EXAMINATION ROOM.

Mike Neufeld: SO THIS IS
THE ACTUAL FRIENDSHIP 7 CAPSULE

THAT GLENN RODE IN
AROUND THE EARTH

IN FEBRUARY OF 1962.

AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

IS A TINY EYE CHART,

AND PERIODICALLY
THROUGHOUT THE MISSION,

HE HAD TO LOOK AT THE CHART

AND REGISTER HOW CLEARLY
HE COULD SEE IT,

BECAUSE THE DOCTORS HAD
ALL KINDS OF SCARE STORIES.

WERE HIS EYES
GONNA GO OUT OF FOCUS?

WHEN THEY’RE FLOATING
AROUND IN ZERO GRAVITY,

HE WOULDN’T BE ABLE
TO SEE PROPERLY ANYMORE.

SO HE HAD TO PERIODICALLY
PERFORM THIS EYE CHART TEST.

Glenn: I HAVE
EXCELLENT VISION ON THE CHARTS,

NO ASTIGMATISM
OR ANY MALFUNCTIONS AT ALL.

Neufeld:
AS HE’S GOING AROUND THE EARTH,

THE DOCTORS ASKED HIM
TO SWALLOW A FEW TIMES.

HE HAD ACTUALLY
APPLESAUCE AND WATER,

THINGS LIKE THAT TO EAT.

THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT
WHETHER YOU’D BECOME NAUSEOUS

IF YOU MOVED YOUR HEAD.

SO HE TURNED HIS HEAD
FROM SIDE TO SIDE

TO SEE IF HE HAD
ANY DISORIENTATION.

Glenn: THIS IS FRIENDSHIP 7.

THE HEAD MOVEMENTS CAUSE
NO SENSATIONS WHATSOEVER.

Carpenter: THANK YOU.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL

HAS A TIGHT SCRIPT
FOR GLENN TO FOLLOW.

THEN, HE WRITES HIS OWN STORY,
IN PICTURES.

Jennifer Levasseur:
NASA DIDN’T REALLY FEEL

THAT IMAGES
AND PHOTOGRAPHS OR VIDEO

WERE REALLY ALL THAT VALUABLE
TO WHAT THEY WERE WORKING ON.

BUT GLENN DIDN’T REALLY
SEE IT THAT WAY.

AND SO AFTER GETTING A HAIRCUT
IN COCOA BEACH,

JOHN GLENN
WALKS INTO A DRUGSTORE

TO FIND A CAMERA
TO TAKE ON HIS MISSION.

AND HE PURCHASES THIS CAMERA
AND TAKES IT BACK TO NASA.

THE FIRST THING THEY REALIZE

IS HE WOULD NEED TO OPERATE IT
WITH JUST ONE HAND.

SO THEY NEEDED TO FLIP
THE CAMERA UPSIDE DOWN

TO BE ABLE TO ADD THIS HANDLE.

AND THEY ALSO NEEDED
TO ADD TRIGGERS

TO BE ABLE TO CAPTURE A PHOTO
AND TO WIND THE FILM.

AND SO REALLY
HE COULD JUST HOLD IT

WITH ONE SINGLE GLOVED HAND

AND OPERATE IT WITH TWO FINGERS.

[SHUTTER CLICKING]

GLENN KNEW
THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT

TO CARRY HIS EXPERIENCE
BACK TO EARTH.

Glenn: I STILL HAVE
A BRILLIANT BLUE BAND

CLEAR ACROSS THE HORIZON,

ALMOST COVERING MY WHOLE WINDOW.

Levasseur: AS ONE OF THE FIRST
PEOPLE TO GO INTO SPACE,

HE WANTED TO SHARE THAT
WITH EVERYONE AROUND THE WORLD.

Glenn: THE SKY ABOVE
IS ABSOLUTELY BLACK,

COMPLETELY BLACK.

Levasseur: AND TAKING PICTURES

WITH A CAMERA THAT YOU COULD
BUY IN A DRUGSTORE

WAS THE PERFECT WAY TO DO THAT.

[SHUTTER CLICKS]

Glenn: ROGER. SAY AGAIN
YOUR INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE. OVER.

Narrator: AT THIS POINT,

GLENN HAS BETTER
PR INSTINCTS THAN NASA.

BUT THEY WON’T
HELP HIM GET HOME.

Carpenter: RETRACT THE SCOPE
MANUALLY AT THIS TIME.

Narrator: MISSION CONTROL
REVEALS A PROBLEM--

POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC.

Carpenter:
WHILE YOU’RE DOING THAT,

WE’RE NOT SURE WHETHER OR NOT
YOUR LANDING BAG HAS DEPLOYED.

Glenn: ROGER. I UNDERSTAND.

Narrator: THE LANDING BAG
IS TUCKED INSIDE

A CRITICAL PART
OF THE SPACECRAFT--

THE HEAT SHIELD.

Neufeld: IF THE LANDING BAG
HAD ACTUALLY GOTTEN LOOSE,

THAT MEANS THE HEAT SHIELD

MIGHT MOVE OUT OF POSITION
DURING THE RE-ENTRY,

AND THEN THE SPACECRAFT
WOULD BREAK UP,

IT WOULD BURN UP,

HE WOULD BE INCINERATED.

WAS THE LANDING BAG
REALLY LOOSE?

OR IS THIS A FALSE
INSTRUMENTATION SIGNAL?

THEY DIDN’T KNOW.

Glenn: ASTRONAUT STATUS IS GO,

READY FOR RE-ENTRY. OVER.

Carpenter: ROGER.

Narrator: AFTER THREE ORBITS,

GLENN MANEUVERS THE SPACECRAFT

TO THE REQUIRED
14-DEGREE RE-ENTRY ANGLE.

A FIERY HEAT GLOWS AROUND HIM.

Glenn: MY CONDITION IS GOOD,

BUT THAT WAS
A REAL FIREBALL, BOY.

Carpenter: ROGER.
READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.

Narrator: MILLIONS ON EARTH
HANG ON EVERY TRANSMISSION.

Walter Cronkite:
ASTRONAUT’S IN GOOD SHAPE,

TRACKING SYSTEMS
AROUND THE WORLD...

Man: WE ARE STANDING BY.

Narrator:
SHIPS LOOK FOR THE CAPSULE.

Man: ONE SECOND.
Man: OK.

Narrator: FINALLY, THEY SEE IT
BOBBING IN THE OPEN OCEAN.

♪

REPORTERS BREAK THE TENSION
OF AN ANXIOUS NATION.

Reporter: U.S. ASTRONAUT
JOHN GLENN IS ON THE DECK,

IS REPORTED TO BE
A HALE AND HEARTY ASTRONAUT

AFTER HIS HISTORY-MAKING FLIGHT.

♪

Weitekamp: JOHN GLENN’S FLIGHT

HAD AN ELECTRIC REACTION
IN THE UNITED STATES

BECAUSE IT WAS THE ONE
IN WHICH THE UNITED STATES

FINALLY ACHIEVED PARITY
WITH THE SOVIET UNION.

Barry:
I WAS FIVE YEARS OLD, I GUESS,

WHEN JOHN GLENN FLEW,

AND JOHN GLENN’S FLIGHT

IS LITERALLY THE FIRST THING
I REMEMBER IN MY LIFE.

MY MOM TELLS ME

THAT I WANTED TO BE
A DUMP TRUCK DRIVER BEFORE THAT,

BUT AFTER JOHN GLENN’S FLIGHT,
I WAS HOOKED.

Man: 10, 9, 8, 7...

Narrator: NASA BEGINS
RATTLING OFF MERCURY MISSIONS

WITH CONFIDENCE AND PURPOSE.

Man: ZERO.

Carpenter: I FEEL THE LIFTOFF,
THE CLOCK HAS STARTED.

Narrator: SCOTT CARPENTER’S
MERCURY 7 FLIGHT IS SO FLAWLESS,

SOME DARE THINK SPACEFLIGHT
IS BECOMING ROUTINE.

Man: HOW DO YOUR READ?
AURORA 7, OVER.

Narrator: MERCURY 8 SENDS
WALLY SCHIRRA UP FOR NINE HOURS

AND SIX ORBITS.

Man: HE FEELS
YOU’RE IN GOOD SHAPE, WALLY,

AND SO I HAVE GOOD NEWS,
THAT YOU CAN GO FOR SIX ORBITS.

Schirra: HALLELUJAH!

Narrator: MERCURY 9 REACHES
THE PROGRAM’S ULTIMATE GOAL--

A FULL DAY IN SPACE,

ENJOYED BY GORDON COOPER.

Cooper: I WOULD LIKE
TO TAKE THIS TIME

TO SAY A LITTLE PRAYER.

Weitekamp: THE MERCURY MISSIONS
WERE REALLY VERY SUCCESSFUL

IN BEING ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE

THAT HUMAN BEINGS
COULD GO INTO SPACE,

THAT THEY COULD
ORBIT REPEATEDLY,

AND THAT THEY COULD BE
BROUGHT BACK SAFELY.

AND THERE WAS A WONDERFUL
PATTERN OF THE ASTRONAUT

THEN BEING CELEBRATED
AS HE CAME HOME

HAVING SUCCESSFULLY
COMPLETED THOSE MISSIONS.

Narrator: BY THE END
OF THE MERCURY PROGRAM,

AMERICANS CAN CELEBRATE.

THEY HAVE HEROES.

THEY HAVE MOMENTUM.

THEN, THERE IS SHOCK.

Weitekamp:
WHEN PRESIDENT KENNEDY

WAS ASSASSINATED
IN NOVEMBER OF 1963,

THE NATION REALLY STOPPED.

Chaikin:
HERE WAS THIS YOUNG PRESIDENT

WHO WAS SO OPTIMISTIC
IN HIS TONE,

SO VISIONARY IN HIS OUTLOOK,

LEADING US INTO WHAT HE CALLED
THE NEW FRONTIER,

AND SPACE WAS AT
THE FOREFRONT OF THAT.

AND SUDDENLY HE WAS GONE.

Barry: PEOPLE WERE DEVASTATED.

I GREW UP IN THE BOSTON AREA,

SO THE KENNEDYS WERE ROYALTY
WHERE I CAME FROM.

AND MY PARENTS, WHO I THOUGHT OF
AS INCREDIBLY STRONG,

THEY WERE BOTH
CRYING THAT NIGHT.

Narrator: OTHER HEROES
ARE FALLING IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

TWO ASTRONAUTS HAVE
THEIR WORST FEARS COME TRUE.

DOCTORS TELL THEM
THEY CAN’T FLY.

Chaikin: THERE’S A SAYING,

THERE’S ONLY THREE WAYS
TO GET OUT OF THIS BUSINESS--

YOU CAN RETIRE,

YOU CAN BE KILLED,

OR YOU CAN BE GROUNDED.

AND THE WORST OF THOSE BY FAR
WAS GETTING GROUNDED.

Narrator:
AMERICA’S FIRST MAN IN SPACE,

ALAN SHEPARD,

IS DIAGNOSED
WITH MENIERE’S DISEASE.

Shepard: IT CAUSES
A LACK OF BALANCE, DIZZINESS,

AND, IN SOME CASES, NAUSEA.

NASA GROUNDED ME RIGHT AWAY.

Narrator:
SHEPARD JOINS DEKE SLAYTON,

ALREADY GROUNDED
FOR A HEART PROBLEM.

TWO OF THE ORIGINAL
SEVEN ASTRONAUTS

ARE NOW OFF THE FLIGHT ROSTER.

JUST A WEEK BEFORE HIS DEATH,
KENNEDY VISITED NASA.

THE MISSIONS TO THE MOON,
CALLED PROJECT APOLLO,

ARE ON THE DRAWING BOARD
FOR HIS REVIEW.

BUT IT’S ONLY A SKETCH.

Barry: AS WE’RE GETTING TO
THE END OF THE MERCURY PROGRAM,

THEY REALIZED
THAT THE APOLLO PROGRAM

IS NOWHERE NEAR READY YET,

AND WE’RE GONNA NEED TO LEARN
TO DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS

TO GET TO THE MOON.

Narrator: THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY
EXPONENTIALLY FARTHER.

Chaikin:
THERE WERE SO MANY UNKNOWNS

ABOUT LANDING ON THE MOON

THAT THEY COULDN’T BITE OFF
THAT WHOLE CHUNK AT ONCE.

Narrator:
THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY LONGER.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Weitekamp: HOW DO YOU HAVE
ASTRONAUTS IN SPACE

FOR AS LONG AS IT WOULD TAKE
TO GET TO THE MOON AND BACK?

Narrator:
THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY SMARTER.

Weitekamp:
HOW DO YOU GET TWO SPACECRAFT

TO MEET UP IN SPACE,

HOW DO YOU THEN DOCK?

Narrator:
AND THEY’LL HAVE TO FLY SOLO.

Weitekamp: SPACE WALKS, EVA,
EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY.

HOW DO YOU GET IN AND OUT
OF THE SPACECRAFT SAFELY

AND THEN STILL BE ABLE
TO RETURN TO EARTH?

Barry: AND THERE’S
NO WAY TO ANSWER THAT

WITH THE MERCURY CAPSULE
’CAUSE IT’S NOT CAPABLE,

AND THE APOLLO CAPSULE
IS SEVERAL YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

WE NEED SOMETHING ELSE.

Narrator: THE ANSWER--

PROJECT GEMINI.

BORN OUT OF NECESSITY,

BUT RACKED WITH COMPLEXITY.

Man: WE HAVE A LIFTOFF
AT 16 MINUTES AFTER THE HOUR.

Narrator: IT HAS TO WORK.

Man: GEMINI 5 IS GO FOR STAGING.

Narrator: THE FATE OF APOLLO’S
MOON SHOT IS AT STAKE.